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Abstract
Minute fungi associated with termites have caused taxonomic problems in the past due to their autapomorphic and highly reduced morphologies. DNA sequence data from one such enigmatic fungus, Laboulbeniopsis termitarius, supports its phylogenetic position as member of a laboulbeniomycete clade within the Ascomycota. This clade is composed entirely of fungi associated with arthropods, often as parasites, and the inclusion of L. termitarius supports the single origin of thallus development by means of enlargement and division of the spore.
This research was supported in part by the National Science Foundation (Phylogeny of Laboulbeniales, DEB-9615520, and REU supplements) and a Howard Hughes Medical Institute grant through the Undergraduates Biological Sciences Education Program to Louisiana State University. Dr. Kevin G. Jones provided valuable assistance with techniques throughout the study.